Hulling and beating apparatus



A. LOTT July 21, 1936.

HULLING AND BEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Mo-wean.

July 21, 1936. A: LOTT 2,048,345

HULLING AND HEATING APPARATUS Filed Se t. 9, 1935 min I] 4.. ="L-;'

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 21, 1936 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to apparatus used in connection with peas, beans and the like and more particularly to apparatus of the beater type designed to remove the pods and covering from the peas and beans. Many problems present themselves in connection with such apparatus. Not only must the various elements be adjusted in accordance with the product to be handled, but vthere is a definite relation between the speed at which the elements are operated and the angle of the beater blades. Also the screen mesh must be adapted to the product handled in the drum.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide beater blades with adjustable sleeves so that the blades may be moved .closer to the hubs or away, so as to decrease or increase the diameter of the beater blades and in turn increasing or decreasing the speed of rotation as Well as the arc of movement.

.20 Another object is to provide for the adjusting of the beater blades at either end of the drum so that an angular position may be obtained with a variance of speed and are of rotation.

Still another object is to provide for a rotation of one of the hubs in relation to the other to a fixed position so that the blade will be off center, permitting the previous mentioned adjustments to take place and resulting in a change of pitch, and either a smaller or larger diameter of the cir- 30 cle of operation, with an increase or decrease in the rapidity of blows struck. By decreasing the diameter at the feed end, the rapidity of blows may be increased as the product feeds toward the larger diameter of the discharge opening. 35 Other objects are disclosed in the specification and claims forming a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, showing the apparatus in assembled position. 40 Figure 2 is an elevation of the feeder end of the machine showing a drive mechanism and end view'of the beater and drum.

Figure 3 is a detail in elevation of the beater blades adjusted at one end to have a smaller diameter of operation.

Figure 4 is a detail in elevation of the beater blades, showing one of the hubs rotated in relation to the other so that the blades are off center.

Figure 5 is a detail in elevation of the adjustable hub with the sliding sleeve in position.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on'line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the drum, showing the roller driving structure on the outside.

chain and sprocket connection YH.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 88 of Figure 1.

Figure 9. is a vertical transverse section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings in which similar 5 parts are designated by like numerals:

Numeral l0 designates a frame having a drum l I rotatably mounted in said frame; and a beater unit l2, likewise rotatably mounted and adapted to be rotated in the same direction as said drum 10 H. The shaft l3 as seen in Figure 8 is a drive shaft which is driven by a belt l4 extending around a pulley l5, fixed to the shaft 13. The shaft l3 thus rotates the shaft it by means of the A counter shaft is is arranged between the shafts l3 and I5 and is journaled in bearings l9 and 20, the bearing l9 being formed in the gear casing 2|. The shaft I8 is in alignment with a stub shaft 22 which is provided with a gear 23 meshing with a gear 25 fixed to the shaft l3. By this means the rotation of the shaft I3 is continuously imparted to, the shaft 22.

In order to effect rotation of the shaft IS, a clutch member 26 is fixed to the stub shaft 22 to be engaged by a. second clutch member 21, which is keyed to slide on the shaft l8 and may be shifted in and out of engagement with the clutch member 26 by means of a shipper lever 28 which is fulcr'umed between its ends on a pivot pin 29 30 fixed on the upperpart of the gear casing 2|. The other end of the shipper lever 28 extends through a slot 30 in a gear casing 2| and is provided within the casing with a yoke 3|, having pins 32 extending into an annular groove 33, formed in the clutch member 21, in a manner common to devices of clutch mechanisms of this character. By this clutch member rotation of the shaft I3 may be imparted whenever desired to the counter shaft l8 and then through the chain and sprocket gear 34 to the shaft for rotating the beater mechanism at a greater speed than the rotation of the drum. The drum H is supported by rollers 35 in frictional contact therewith and has its face covered with wire mesh to permit trash, in some instances, to be discharged, and in other cases, peas or beans depending upon whether greens are being cleaned or beans and peas hulled. The troughs 36 are positioned beneath the drum H to receive the matter discharged through the mesh of the drum II.

The beater unit l2 consists of a plurality of beater blades 31, having sleeves 38 secured to each end of the blades 31 by means of an angle to the axis of the shaft 42. angular movement of the angle irons 39 under the blades 31, each blade 37 is secured to an angle iron 39 by means of a pivot bolt 37' and by a adapted to receive the sleeves 38, screws 44 holding said sleeves in adjustable position on the spindles 43; On the face of the hubs 4| are plates 45 having a series of bolt holes 46, said plates 45 being keyed to the shaft 42 carried by the hub 4| and permitting the hub 4| to be rotated on the shaft 42 when desired. Obviously one of the plates may be rotated and secured in position through the bolt holes 46 without the rotation of the other, in order to obtain angular displacement of the beater blades 31.

The sleeve and angle iron connection between the beater blades and the spindles 43, constitute a universal joint which provides for independent angular adjustment of the hubs about the shaft 42 along with radial adjustment of the sleeves on their spindles. This construction adapts the machine for use with heavy, stifi beater blades which remain straight, and without twist, throughout all angular and radial adjustments of either or both ends of the blades with respect To provide for slight locking bolt 31" which extends slidably through the 'arcuate slot S formed in the blade 31, the

center of said slot being the axis of the bolt 37'.

By moving the blades 31 to the outermost ends of the spindles 43 and setting the same in position, the blades 31 will assume a closer relation to the drum l and the product lifted to a closer proximity to the top of the drum H. Upon the -same adjustment, the blades may be positioned 'close to the hub, leaving a greater distance between the blades 37 and the drum Again one end of the blades 31 may be at the top of the spindle 43 and the other end close to the hub 4|. This arrangement may be staggered, if desired, by rotating one of the hubs 4| and securing the same in oif center position until another setting is obtained.

If greens are desired to be treated, the dirt will fall through the screen mesh and. be collected in the troughs 36 below. On the other hand, in the case of peas and beans, the peas and beans will fall through the mesh and be collected in the troughs 36, and the hulls fed out by the action of the blades. During the operation, the lifters 41 carried by the revolving drum lift the produce up to the top of the drum and drop it on the beater blades 31 which are travelling faster than the drum V The beater blades 31 force the material against the screen with sufiicient force to dislodge insects or dirt in the case of greens and to break the pods where peas or beans are being treated. The change of the pitch of the blades 31, varies the time in which the produce remains in the machine.

I do not limit myself to details of construction illustrated as various changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention,

What I claim as new is:

Separating apparatus comprising a drum, a shaft extending axially through said drum, hubs rotatably mounted on opposite ends of said shaft and having spindles extending radially there from, plates fixed to said shaft, means for locking said hubs to said plates in any position of angular adjustment relative to said shaft, sleeves slidably and rotatably mounted on said spindles, means for locking said sleeves in any position of radial and angular adjustment of said spindles,

an angle iron bracket pivoted to each sleeve to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve, and rigid beater blades adjustably secured to corresponding angle irons at the opposite ends of said shaft.

ALEX LO'I'I. 

